Another bottle of the 2011 Produttori del Barbaresco Langhe Nebbiolo and it is delicious and easy to drink, but the high-octane element is starting to annoy me. The 14.5% is quite evident and the flavors are not quite pruney but could be a bit fresher for my tastes. I've enjoyed serving this at dinner parties for the past two months, but not sure I will buy any more.

The 2010 Vajra Langhe Rosso is also delicious and easy to drink. I suppose one shouldn't fault it for being 'simple' given the $15 pricetag, and given my love of monocepage wines I'm not sure I love the blended flavors. But if the purpose is providing a fresh fruity and food-friendly wine then it does the job very well.

This is my favorite Barbera year after year. It is a very bright and expressive wine and not weighed down by too much oak, as some of the styles of Barbera these days tends to lean toward. Fresh, fruity with a lovely acid core, this wine might replace my usual Morgon on the Thanksgiving day table this year!

Joy Lindholm wrote:This is my favorite Barbera year after year. It is a very bright and expressive wine and not weighed down by too much oak, as some of the styles of Barbera these days tends to lean toward. Fresh, fruity with a lovely acid core, this wine might replace my usual Morgon on the Thanksgiving day table this year!

Nice report Joy. I was looking at this wine only the other day and thought "guess no-one else will find this".

2011 Produttori Langhe Nebbiolo was somewhat sweet on its own, which may have been the alcohol, but it was good nonetheless. It was not a good match with the food choices but that wasn't the wines fault.

Robin Garr wrote:Well, I just picked up two candidates for sacrifice on the altar of this month's wine gods:

* Rocca 2009 Barolo, a $13.99 special at Trader Joe's. I do not bring high expectations to this wine, and a mixed bag of reports on CellarTracker suggests that I'm probably wise not to save it for a special occasion. http://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1584849Still, it ought to be drinkable. I've found that TJ's crazier-sounding bargains are usually at least "good enough for dinner."

2009 Rocca dell Olmo, Barbaresco DOCG. $10.99 Trader Joes, and alcohol level $13.5%. It doesn't say DOCG of what other than Italy. The word Piemonte is nowhere on the bottle! Having said all that. it is a very nice wine for the price. It gave a mixture of red and black fruit, a smooth middle, and decent finish. We matched it with pasta in our Italian tomato sauce, broiled fennelly Italian sausages, and salad in creamy goat cheese dressing. Very nice Thanksgiving Eve dinner.

14% abv. Purple-red color; crimson edge. Has viscosity. Dark fruited and quite fruity in taste. This also shows a leafy or herbal component. Mild in tannins, this is easily consumed now with spaghetti and meat sauce. (The spaghetti was take out Nov. 20 from the world's largest spaghetti dinner--11,000 meals served by Saints Constantine and Helen Greek Othodox Church in Fayetteville, NC with the money going to charities around town.)

2006 Azienda Agricola Guido Porro Barolo Vigna LazzairascoFrom a subsection of the Lazzarito cru. Opened about 12 hours before pouring. This is still a firmly tannic, very dry, staunchly traditional Barolo; medium-bodied, with notes of sour cherries, cedar, stones, roses, and tar. The second day brings a rounder, quite enjoyable, classical young Nebbiolo into focus; nicely balanced, with attractive sour cherry and red plum flavors; roses, tar, and spices; maybe a touch of leather. The tannins are still not integrated by this point, though. Undoubtedly a very densely structured Barolo that will need a lot of time.

2010 Vietti Barbera d’Alba DOC “Trevigne”A three vineyard blend – NOT from a single cru like the similarly named Barbera from Clerico. Medium-bodied, smooth, with good acid lift; round, with cherry, plum, vanilla, and lightly floral notes. Very good. $18.

2011 Cantina del Pino Langhe DOC FreisaFrom old vines in the Ovello cru, but not labeled as such. Medium-bodied, frizzante, with good acidity; earthy, lightly mineral, with red berry, plum, and rose aromas/flavors. Always reliable, and very good once again. $15.